El Canción Del Canaria
by VintagePen
Summary: The year is 1846.A year after the Kinchin Murders. Rosita Dolores Velez is a young woman from a small town in California and has come to New York with a hidden past.Timothy Wilde is a copper star that solves unsolvable puzzles. She lives day by day without any questions. He goes along for the ride of being a copper star. Will something finally question their well-being?


**A/N: Hello all! I am so excited for this story to finally come through! ****I just adore Lyndsay Faye and _Gods of Gotham! _I was inspired to write this story after I read it! This is a Valentine x OC story! I believe he deserves some loving. The summary doesn't give this story justice so you have to read to find out! Happy reading and review please!**

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><p>Prologue<p>

There is darkness. A flimsy breeze scampers through the half empty town, picking up dust in little harmless tornados. Cheerful music could be heard within the saloons as Mariachis sang out with a sobbing tremble to their voices. Sweat beading their foreheads as they told the people stories of love, lost, and life. Laughter ringing out from the drunken man's throat as he tests his luck at the card tables. The whores lining the walls of the bars, waiting for a lucky caller to give them their paycheck in their beds. Horses passing by clicking their heels on their rough cobble streets. Groups of men hanging around the corners talking and drinking strange liquids from glass bottles. The heat of the day still lingers in the cool air.

A woman with a shawl over her head walks through the street. She hurries through the nightlife of the saloons and shops, dodging anyone that was in her way. She carries a canvas sack filled with rice and dried beans. A child clutches to her skirts. Her twinkling brown eyes absorbed the activity around her. Taking note of the girls dresses that showed their stockinged legs and men with weather-beaten faces watching the woman and child walk through. It was strange to be out this late to buy something. Usually she would have been in bed or reading from one of her books that her uncle have given her as a gift.

The woman peered inside the small sack to make sure the contents were still there. She would whisper to the child, "_Dejar de mirar alrededor! Acelera el ritmo!_" As they passed, occasional suspicious glances would follow them. The woman's grip on the child was firm but not alarming to her. She looked both ways before rushing off into the desert.

The rolling hills were like dried tidal waves that overlooked the small town. Small desert plants dotted its skin as moonlight radiated on them. The sky was a dark indigo color as if someone put a blanket onto the bright blue sky. The stars were the holes of the blanket, marking the sky with shapes and patterns. The bustle of the town was a now only a murmur to the two figures in the desert.

The grip of the woman's hand loosened as they remained in the dirt road. She looked down at the child, who was rubbing her tired eyes, and gave a sympathetic smile.

"Mama?" The little girl spoke up.

"Sí mijita?" The woman answered back.

"¿Estamos casi en casa?" The little girl's voice was so soft from her exhaustion. She began to lean into her mother's skirts.

"No te preocupes mi amor, ya casi llegamos," She gave a small smile.

The woman looked towards the horizon and squinted her eyes. Her eyes were already adjusted to the darkness but the moon shone brightly that night and blanketed the landscape in a deep blue and purple. Between a hidden valley of two mountains, there was a small house with a horse. Its front window was dimly lit with a flickering candle. The horse was on its knees with its head cast down. It was silent as they came near, the occasional cricket would hum it's nocturnal song.

The woman and child hurried inside. The woman rushed to pull the thin curtains in to cover the window. She hung her shawl around the hooks that were nailed to the wall near the door. The child took hers off as well and slung it over her arm. She was eager to head to bed but had to ask her mother why she had to go to out with her.

"Mama, ¿Por qué tuve que salir con usted en la noche?" She stared at her mother as her mother made sure all the curtains were closed and the doors were locked.

"Porque yo quería que vieras el hermoso cielo de la noche y las estrellas por última vez," The mother sighed and kneeled down to her daughter's level.

"The last time?" The little girl whispered.

"Yes, mijita, the last time," The woman gave the little girl a faint smile and rubbed her arms to soothe her. "I meant before you close your eyes and dream of a wonderful place. Filled with never-ending fields of many flowers, and the sky is always blue, the birds are singing the most happiest of tunes."

The little girl nodded her head and held onto her mother's hand. Her small fingers lacing between hers. "You, Papá, Abuelo y Tío Alberto will be there by my side."

"Sí, sí. I will be braiding your hair while singing to you," the woman held her daughter's hand while they walked to a small bedroom with a large bed on a wooden frame. The quiet snores of her grandfather could be heard in the other room.

After the little girl changed into a thin night gown, she hopped into the large bed that seemed to swallow her into the covers and pillow. The woman sat near here and waited till her daughter said good night.

"Buenas noches Mama," the little girl said as her head peaked out from the covers.

"Buenas noches mi pequeño canaria," She brushed her daughter's hair out of her face. Her brown eyes sparkled in the moon light.

The woman leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. Before she got to the doorway, a little voice spoke up, "Mama."

"Sí, Rosita?" She looked back at her daughter.

"Can you sing to me? I cannot sleep."

The woman nodded and walked back to the bed. She sat down on the mattress beside her daughter and wrapped an arm around her. The little girl snuggled into her mother and waited for her to sing.

_"El sol se pone en cualquier lugar. _

_Los árboles se doblan con el viento. _

_El viento camina sobre la tierra. _

_Durante toda la noche. _

_Cuando sale el sol de nuevo. _

_El canario canta su corazón hacia fuera. _

_El canto del canario es uno de amor. _

_Nunca me inclino a la luna, _

_O doblar al viento. _

_Mi corazón es para ti, mi sol. _

_Yo canto para usted y sólo usted. _

_Mi amor. _

_Cuando la luna se va por el canaria llora. _

_El sol se pone en cualquier lugar. _

_Los árboles se doblan con el viento. _

_El viento camina sobre la tierra. _

_Durante toda la noche. _

_Cuando sale el sol de nuevo. _

_El canario canta su corazón hacia fuera. _

_El canto del canario es uno de amor. _

_Nunca me inclino a la luna, _

_O doblar al viento. _

_Mi corazón es para ti, mi sol. _

_Yo canto para usted y sólo usted. _

_Mi amor."_

During the song the little girl yawned and tried to keep her eyes open. But, towards the end, her eyelids could no longer hold back the exhaustion that lulled her to sleep. Her mother's voice was sweet and soft that blended with the growl of the wind outside. She made sure her daughter was asleep before she slipped away from her and went to the door. An eerie feeling pricked at her as she went into another room.

Her eyes looked at the sack that she carried all the way over. She reached her hand beneath the rice and dried beans to search for hidden object. Her fingers grazed something hard and smooth. She took out an amulet that had the most intricate designs of blue and gold. Her fingers tread the ancient design. She looked out the window wearily for any signs of life. She strolled back over to her daughter's room and gazed at her. Her heart was pounding with dread.

"Mi pequeño canario, volar lejos de aquí y no regresar jamás," The woman whispered. "Siempre te protegeré."

She hid the amulet in the hem of the little girl's dress. Tears threaten to drip from her eyes. She gave her daughter one last kiss.

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><p><em>Beautiful birds of vibrant colors dance in the sky shouting jests and singing sweet songs that undo any unhappiness. A warm breeze rolls gently through the air. The grass and tree branches dance to the rolling wind. The sun is warm and pleasant on Rosita's face and body. The softness of the grass provides her with a comfort that compares to the queen of Spain's bed. The canary's sing her awake. She blinks awake and looks up to the puffy white clouds that move through the brisk blue sky. She hums along with her feathered companions and looks around with a euphoric bliss. <em>

_"Rosita!" _

_"Rosita!"_

_Rosita turned her head towards the sweet voices that sung her name. Her eyes came upon a man and a woman waving at her from a nearby hill. She gets up and runs toward the two figures. The wind almost carries her to the couple as she runs along the grass. She is greeted by her father and mother._

_"Mamá! Papá!" They crouch down to her level and smile at her as she gives the both of them a warm embrace._

_"Mi Rosita pequeño," her father looked at her with a proud smile. "Look how much you've grown!" He patted her head and gave a soft chuckle._

_"I've missed you papá," She hugged his legs. He kneeled down to her level and smiled lovingly at his daughter. _

_"I've missed you too mijita," He kissed her forehead and wrapped his strong arms around her. Her mother ran her fingers through the little girl's hair._

_It must've felt like hours to Rosita of nonstop play. Running through the rolling green hills, chasing the colorful birds and singing their songs, picking flowers and making crowns. Rosita felt like she was in a never ending dream world. _

_"Papá, why did you leave us?" Rosita looked over at her father who was laying down next to her in the swaying grass. _

_He looked up at the sky, and then towards his daughter, "Well mijita, I guess God wanted me to live with him instead. Sometimes he takes things away to make people stronger even if it means suffering." _

_"I say it's not fair," Rosita said as she crossed her arms. "Where's mama?"_

_Just then, a woman screaming very loudly could be heard through out the dreamlike land. The land shook and trembled as this ear pitching shrill continued. Rosita quickly stood up and looked all around to see what was the source to it. As the ground continued to shake, the blue sky turned an angry red. The beautiful birds turned into black skeletons forming circles of the sky. The green grass shriveled up and turned to dust and dirt. Rosita turned to her papa and saw him turned to dust and blow away in the harsh wind. The scream continued but now it was her name. Rosita looked all around but couldn't find the caller._

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><p>"Rosita!"<p>

Rosita snapped her eyes open. Her forehead was beading with sweat and her heart was pumping. She pushed back the covers and hopped out of bed. She grabbed a shawl to put around her. Before she went to the door, her mother bursted in through the door. The young woman was panting and shut and bolted the door shut.

"Mama, what's happening?" Rosita asked running to her mother's side.

"Silencio! Go hide under the bed!" She pointed with urgency. When she saw her daughter being rooted to the ground she pushed her under the bed. Just as she did that, three men burst forth through the door.

The woman yelped and tried to run to the farthest corner in the room but was caught by one man.

"No! No! Let me go!" She tried to wriggle out of his grip. "I saw what you did to my father and husband! Don't do it to me!" She yelled. Rosita had to stifle a sob while tears brimmed her eyes.

"Cálmate Yolanda," A man shushed as he stomped slowly over to the shaking woman. Her eyes were teary as her stern lips quivered. She glared knives at the man who smiled with a gold covered fang.

Victor Juarez eyed Yolanda slowly with a smug grin. His skin was dark from the California sun. His skin was hard a stone but soft to the touch. His hair was dark like vulture feathers. He had an aristocratic nose and sneering brown eyes. His lips snarled into a grin. His teeth were white but on one tooth was a gold fang. He wore rugged clothing, but wore the finest attire when attending parties and other social events. He was called "_La Mueca Serpiente._" He was the head of a gang who used a shipping industry as front for carrying ancient artifacts to underground markets.

"Why would I harm such a pretty face such as yours…" his fingers grazed Yolanda's tear-stained cheek. "_Bonita_…" Once he made contact with her, she spit onto his face and kicked him. He doubled over in pain. He quickly got up and slapped the woman. Rosita was clutching her mouth so hard it hurt.

"You just lost your chance of leniency," He glared at her. "However, if you tell me where your daughter and the amulet is, I may let you live." Rosalita's eyes widen at the strange man's request.

"You can go to hell, you insufferable little—" Yolanda was immediately cut off by her daughter crawling from under the bed screaming for her mother.

"Mijita!" Yolanda sank to her daughter's level when she scampered over to her in fear of Victor. She tried to whisper to her daughter and calm her, but it was no use.

"Mama! Señor por favor! Please let her go!" She shouted at Victor.

In reply he laughed and shook his head. He motioned for two hefty men to grab the little girl. The two men nodded and stomped over to the little girl.

Rosita looked at the two men in fear. Her mother leaned as close as she could and quickly whispered, "Mi amor, never let your enemy see you cry. Always carry a strong face. As of right now, you fight for survival. Run to the port, and find someone name George, he will take you to your uncle in New York. I hope we meet again my dear."

Just as they were about to grab her, Rosita ducked and ran towards the window. Victor pushed the two men out of his way and reached for the girl. He caught her ankle and dragged her down. With her free leg she kicked his face. He yelped in pain as he loosened his grip. She got down and tried to run to the door. Victor managed to catch a glimpse of the amulet that was in the hem of her skirt. He shouted orders to block the door, but no such luck. Rosita slipped through the door frame. She couldn't leave just yet. She ran two the nearest sand dune that blocked her from being seen.

Victor and his tumbled out of the tiny house in anger. His venomous eyes searched the hills in sight of the girl, "Rosita! You get back here and return what was mine!"

Silence filled the void.

"You bring it to me now! Or I'll kill your mother!" He reached down for his gun and clicked it to unlock the safety. Rosita's heart was beating and her eyes began to well with tears. She was torn between saving her mother or protecting something that wasn't theirs.

"You don't come on the count of three, I'll pull the trigger," He yelled out to the dirt hills.

"One," He aimed the gun at Yolanda while two men held her down.

"Don't do it Rosita! Keep it!" Yolanda shouted. A man slapped her face.

"Dos!" Victor's voice rang out. Rosita was on her feet but still crouched. She had made her decision.

"Tres!" Victor pointed the gun at the sky and shot out a warning. That was Rosita's cue.

When he heard no reply, he put down the gun. He let out an annoyed sigh and told the men to go raid the house. They tied Yolanda up to a bolted chair and put her father's body next to her. After the men raided the house, Victor lit a cigarette.

"You did this to yourself Yolanda," He yelled into the house before throwing a burning stick into the house. After a few minutes, the entire house was set ablaze. Victor and his men where long gone.

Rosita peeked her head from her hiding spot and saw her house on fire. Her mother's screams could be heard from where Rosita was standing. Tears crawled silently down Rosita's cheeks. Her mother was screaming her name over and over. Rosita did;t have the strength to stand and sank to her knees, weeping in agony. Her sobs matched Her mother's screams.

With that, she ran.


End file.
